prizewinners. The institution's function is to promote the ceramic tradition in Mexico. Many of the artifacts are on loan from the Instituto Nacional Indigenista (National Indigenous Institute), and a number were donated by Wilmot himself. The rest of the pieces are prizewinners from the Certamen Estatal de la Cerámica (State Ceramic Contest). By the mid-1990s, the museum had to close due to lack of funds and maintenance, but was reopened in 1996. The collection contains pieces created by some of the most renowned artisans of the area and is of the styles most typical to Tonalá such as bruñido, bandera, petatillo and canelo. Artists and artisans represented include Salvador Vásquez, Juan Antonio Mateo, Gerónimo Ramos, Nicasio Pajarito, Candelario Medrano, Jorge Wilmot and Ken Edwards. Wilmot, along with Manuel Felguérez and other artists, founded the Saturday Art Market in San Ángel, Mexico City. In addition to ceramics, Wilmot also did design work for glass, painting, jewelry and other arts and crafts. Recognition Wilmot has been the focus of individual exhibitions and participated in collective ones internationally since 1972, in countries such as France and Canada as well as his native Mexico. His awards include the Galardon Presidencial del IV Premio Nacional de la Ceramica de Tlaquepaque in 1982 and the Premio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes in 1995. Wilmot was deemed "Creator Emeritus" by the National System of Creators of Art (SNCA) in 1994 for his contribution to Mexico's cultural legacy as well as to the development of other generations of artists). In 1996 he won the Fomento Cultural Banamex prize and the Premio Nacional en Artes y Tradiciones. In 2009 and 2010, a series of exhibitions in homage to Wilmot's work has been held in various parts of Mexico. The exhibitions are sponsored by the Museum of Popular Art (MAP) in Mexico City. Exhibitions have been held in Mexico City, for San Agustín Etla in Oaxaca, Guadalajara and Monterrey, sponsored by MAP and other entities. The exhibitions feature more than five decades' worth of Wilmot's pottery and ceramics as well as photographs, memorabilia and Wilmot's forays into other crafts such as glassmaking and jewelry design) . The exhibitions featured between 300 and 600 pieces which were brought together from various institutional and individual collections) . See also Ceramics of Jalisco References 1928 births 2012 deaths Mexican artists Mexican potters Mexican expatriates in France Mexican expatriates in Sweden Mexican expatriates in